12 
INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS. 
beaked, 20-24 mm. high, 18-24 mm. long from tip to the base, 
10-12 mm. wide (seen from the side*, lateral margin very slightly 
concave or almost straight, lateral sepals contiguous with the 
helmet, obliquely orbicular-quadrate, not clawed, 18-20 mm. 
long ; lower sepals obliquely oblong or elliptic — obtuse to 
acute, 12-15 mm. long. Nectaries glabrous, extinguisher — 
shaped ; claw erect, or the upper-end more or less leaning 
forward, 16-18 mm. long ; hood sub-cylindric, 4-8 mm', long, 
oblique to almost horizontal, top gibbous posteriorly, honey- 
gland occupying the gibbosity or the whole top, lip extremely 
short, crenulate, very, broad. Filaments glabrous, 8 mm. lo,ng, 
narrowly winged to or beyond the middle, wings gradually 
alternated. Carpels 5, subcontiguous in the flower, but soon 
diverging, narrowly oblong, gradually passing into the short 
style, quite glabrous. Follicles subcontiguous or somewhat 
diverging in the upper part, oblong, obliquely truncate, 2’5-3 
cm. long, 5-6 mm. broad, loosely reticulate. Seeds blackish, 
obovoid, about 3 mm. long, round in cross-section, obscurely 
winged along the rhaphe, transversely lamellate, lamellte dark, 
undulate. 
Uses : — Nothing definite is as yet known of the medicinal 
properties of this root. It is believed to be non-poisonous as 
well as tonic and antiperiod ic. 
It has also earned some repute in the treatment of cholera 
(SarhAram Ahjon). 
From the' roots of this, an alkaloid, named Palmatisine has been isolated 
at the Imperial Institute, which crystallises well, and in some respects 
resembles atisine. J. Ch. S. 1905T, 1665. 
14. A.ferox, Wall. H. f. br. i., i. 28. 
Habitat : — Temperate, sub-Alpine Himalaya, from Sikkim to 
Garhwal. 
Sanskrit : — Visha (Poison) ; Vatsanabha (resembling the navel 
of children). 
Vern . : — Bish, bachnak, mitha zahar; Singyabish ; telya- 
bish ( FT. ) ; Kat bish, Mitha bish, Sringibish, (Beng.) ; Bachnag 
(Mar.) ; Vashanavi (Tam.) ; Vasanabhi, nabhi (Tel.) ; .Vatsanabhi 
(Mai.); Vasanabhi (Kan. \ Shingadio-Vachnag (Guz.j. 
